Experimental investigation of Camellia Sinensis Dust Filler on the Vachellia Nilotica Blended Hybrid Epoxy Composites: A Comprehensive Analysis of Mechanical, Viscoelastic, and Dielectric Behavior

This research work presents the influence of Camellia sinensis dust powder on the mechanical, dynamic, and dielectric properties of the hybrid epoxy composites containing Vachellia Nilotica (VN). The hand layup method was used to make the composite specimens at different volume fractions of the Camellia sinensis dust used as a particle filler (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 v/v%). The Vachellia Nilotica content was kept at 15 v/v%. The hybrid composites’ mechanical, viscoelastic, and dielectric strengths were investigated experimentally. The results indicate that the composite with 9 v/v% Camellia sinensis dust has superior mechanical and dielectric properties when compared to other volume percentages. The epoxy composite with the highest glass transition temperature and storage modulus also contained 9 v/v% filler. The inclusion of Camellia sinensis dust in the Vachellia Nilotica incorporated hybrid exposed had improved the thermal stability of the composite, as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Furthermore, the dielectric test demonstrated that the addition of the Camellia sinensis dust filler strengthened the dielectric strength of the composite. The structural morphology of the composite’s tensile fracture was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipment to investigate the interaction between the epoxy matrix and the fillers in the hybrid composites.